Railway equipment



Feb, 3, 1925.

T. F. DEEGAN RAILWAY EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 28, 1924 2 Shanta-Sheet 1 INVENTOR flamswagyaiz ATTORNEY Fe b. 3; 1925: 1.525318 T. F. DEEGAN RAILWAY EQUIPMENT I Filed Feb. 28, 1924 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY z T z A l atented Feb. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES THOMAS F. DEEGAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY EQUIPMENT.

Application filed February 28, 1924. Serial No, 695,688.

To all whom it may 0012061 11:

Be it known that I, THoMAs F. DEEGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer-- tain new and useful Railway Equipment, of which the following is'a specification.

Generally stated, this invention relates to railway equipment and has more especial relation to means for securing together as a unit a railway tie, a tie-plate and a rail.

As at present practiced it is customary to use a squared spike which is driven into a wooden tie for securing a rail in place. In driving a squared spike into a wooden tie the fibre of the wood is broken down to such an extent that weather conditions cause rotting of the broken down fibre-s which eventually results in the spike becoming so loosened as to be inefiective. In other words, as rolling stock passes over the rail sections the spikes are ineffective to offer resistance. This results in lifting of the spikes above the flange of the rail and is only rectified by careful watching of the track walkers. hen the spikes are lifted from the flanges of the rail the tie-plates are also lifted from the tie. As a result, the tie-plates continuously move independently of the rail and tie with the effect that within a short time the mechanical life of the tie is destroyed. The tie-plate movement caused by the loosened spikes causes lateral movement of the ties with the effect that they are driven sidewise in the ballast and road bed which also tends to destroy the efficiency of the road bed. I have discovered that in order to have a road bed in condition to insure safety and to reduce the cost of maintenance it is absolutely necessary that a tie, tie-plate and rail must be secured together as a unit so that when rolling stock is passing over the rail any depression of the rail will result in the entire depression of the entire unit and that after rolling stock is passed over the railing parts will rise as a unit.

In order to overcome the first above described disadvantageous features and to secure the beneficial results thereof set forth is the leading object of the present invention Other and further objects not at this time more particularly pointed out will be hereinafter referred to.

The invention consists of the novel construction hereinafter described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1, is a fragmentary View in crosssection illustrating a railway tie, tie-plate and rail together as a unit in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2, is a similar view illustrating the manner of introducing the improved spike of the present invention.

Fig. 3, is a sectional plan view of the upper portion of my improved spike, and

Fig. 4, is a similar view of the lower portion of my improved spike, and Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate in plan and elevation, respectively, the complete arrangement of parts shown in the preceding figures.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

According to the present invention, instead of driving a railway spike directly into a wooden tie I drill in the ties 1 at time of manufacture one or more openings 2, see Fig. 2. These openings 2 are of smaller diameter than the spike to be driven thereinto. The spike of the invention is best seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The upper portion of the spike is of rectangular configuration as designated by numeral 3, and the lower portion of the spike is of oval shape as designated by the numeral 4. The head 5 of the spike is of conventional form. The lower end of the spike may have a chisel point or a round point. The oval shaped portion 4 of the spike is serrated as at 6. These serrations are made while the spike is hot in the process of manufacture. It is to be observed that the squared portion of the spike is adapted to abut against the edge 7 of the rail 8 and that the tie-plate is apertured as at 9 for the passage therethrough of aspike. To as semble the. parts and positioned each with a tie-plate 1O thereon, the apertures ofthe tieplate being in register with the drill openings 2 in the ties. a. spike is then inserted through the tieplate and driven into the tie. *Since the diameter of the spike is in excess ofthe diameter ot the opening 2 the serrated portions of thespike spread the walls of the op ening 2 and form a tight fit with the tie. The

' serrate d portions become imbedded in the tie and "thereby firmly secure thetie, tie- 7 plate and rail together as a unit. The squared portion 3 of thespike prevents rotation of the spike aboutits vertical axis because of this abutting position with the I By the above arrangement and construction rolling stock passing over a 'ail moves all the partsdo wnwardly togetheras a unit and after the rolling stock has passed thereover the I above described parts rise as a unit. Thus'satfety. in operation, comfort intravel and general efiiciency is provided. s110u1d,-1 o1- any reason, a spike beCQDiGLlOCSQnQCl it may be withdrawn from a drill hole in the tie and the t e plugged with a hard wooden plug and another spike driven into the tie. It .will be apparent that instead-of the oval shapedspiliel may use a round spike, and that instead of the serrated surface a spike having aiplain surface may be employed.

The tie plate 10 before described is of special construction, extending" almost the entirelength of a tieinsteadof in twosection s asatpresentemployed. By the onepiece, elongated construction both rails are locked with. respect to a tie-plate and a tie.

Spikes l1 are'employed to securethe tieplate to a tie. "The outer end of eachtieplate is pro videdwith a flange 12 against which the outer flange ofa rail abut sf Thus the tendency of rails to spread iselnninated lVith the rails 8 properly positioned h as ,both rails are fixed to a tieplate and above described the ties are properlydrilled tie to complete a unit. -Such construction is particularly useful upon a curved track where severe thrust and strain are present.

In conclusion it is safe to say that on a straight track, with the described tie-plate fastened to the tie with an oval spike driven into the bored, round hole in the tie, and

fastened to the rail with sound ties, there can be maintained a-good safe road-lbed.

*lVith :the tie-plate, herein described, upon curves, "aspabsolutely safe road-bed can be had or madei'or any heavy equipment and increased speedwith a great saving in malntenance of road-bed expenses.

{It will, now be apparent that I-haye devised anovel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerp'ated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description and while "lqhave; in the present instance shown and descr bed the preferred embod ment thereof which has been found 1n practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is tobe unde1"stood that the same is susceptibleof II'LQtlIfiCtItlOII' n various particulars without departing from the spirit orscope ofthe invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

' Having thus described any invention, what I cla m as new and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent, is

'In railway equipment the combination of afl'alllfOtlCl tie having ahole drilled vertically therem,v a tie-plate having a hole in iegisterwith the tie opening a rail upon said tie-Plateiahd a spike having a squared u p p ei portion and anoval and serrated low- "er portion of a diameter larger than that of the tie'lope ning penetratingisaid openings forloc king said parts together as a u n it.

Intest mony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

THOMAS F. DEEGAN. 

